Star Side

Chapter 49

The dud of an egg was evidence of Gilrack's failure, both in communication and providing. He knew that.

A plaintive voice in the back of his mind wailed that he had done his best, but that wasn't good enough for Gilrack. If he had communicated with her sooner that she was pregnant, perhaps the divine beings could have worked together to find her fresh meat, but even then he remembered he hadn't told because he feared just what the divine beings reactions would be, not just Jo's reaction. He feared for his young. His beautiful, unique young.

He'd never heard of blue eggs. Purple, yes, red, brown, and even white. But never blue. They were beautiful, just like his precious mate.

The raw, hot instincts within him, heightened from the birth of his brood, purred at the thought, even as they insisted he turn around and get back to protecting said brood and vulnerable mate. Usually family or sworn friends would bring food for him and his mate to help ease the time their protective instincts would be at their highest. There were many scavengers and predators in the world that would make a most delectable snack out of their eggs. Potential love rivals might see the chance to crush a new brood of eggs to break the bond between him and his mate, proving him a failure as a protector so they could move in for his female. Anything yet could come in while his female was sore and weak from birth to hurt her or their young.

But even if his divine maiden wasn't the most intelligent being he'd ever met, he knew she was right. His body was still weak from his attempt to die and the lack of meat. Though his kind were omnivores, they were still predators and meat made up the majority of their diet. The protein the divine beings ate to replace fresh meat was okay, but could never make up for blood. The lack of blood was made more obvious with his poor mate's pregnancy cravings.

He was barely able to sneak to the nearest food dispenser through the wailings of his abused instincts. He got himself as much 'almost meat' as he could as well as more of the soft porridge for his mate. Then, holding them close, he slunk back where he came.

Unfortunately, the bright, white tunnels gave little space to hide when you were large, red, and winged.

The last divine being he wanted to see came around the corner just as he was reaching the stairs. He was too close to his mate's nest to convince his instincts to let him take the long way around in order to avoid the dead-eyed male.

Levi narrowed his black eyes on him.

"Where are you going with all that?"

Gilrack gave a non-committal grunt and started up the stairs.

"Jo isn't there, I already called. Where is she anyway? I know you always know where she is, you damn stalker."

His instincts were screaming, prickling like knives on the side of him closest to Levi, who had started up the stairs after him. He stiffened his tail up like iron to stop himself from lashing out with venom filled prongs.

"Oy, I'm talking to you."

"She is in dome, sleeping."

"It's fucking five pm, is she sick? Shit, she is isn't she?"

Levi came up to his side just as Gilrack put in the code to the door and tried to slide past him.

It was the wrong move.

Gilrack's mind blanked. Hell-like fury exploded through his veins, hot as lava, quick as lightning. He lunched forward with his fangs, taking hold of a great mouthful of alien clothing and flesh before flinging the male back down the stairs. His instincts had turned the food in his arms to precious prey his family needed that could not be dropped.